Yuva India Kitchen + Bar

The food is excellent, really tasty at a reasonable price, too! A lunch portion includes rice, salad, naan, and the entrée. All are fresh and delicious. Very good food, friendly atmostphere, and clean restaurant. Highly recommended.

Went for dinner there.
Ordered pani-​puri as starter. Hated it. Too bland and tasteless. Would totally recommend against it.
The main course was good. Order Paneer Tikka Masala, and it was creamy and tasty. Nan was delicious too.
Overall, avoid starters and jump directly to the main course.

I placed a takeout order from Yuva through GrubHub. It said the order would be ready in 30 minutes and so I arrived 20 minutes after I ordered it, expecting to wait a few minutes after I found a parking spot (no easy feat on S. Craig St.). When I got inside and told the lady at the counter that I was picking up a takeout order, she said they still had not received it. As I was calling GrubHub customer service, she «happened» to find it as I got through to an agent and rushed it to the kitchen. I asked the agent to look into it and admittedly the order failed to be delivered the first two times, whether due to a failing on GrubHub’s part or Yuva’s part, I do not know. However, it was confirmed that the order had made it through ten minutes earlier.
At long last, when we had our food and made it home, we tried the food and were utterly disappointed. The samosas were poor compared to others I have had, a tough maneuver to pull off given they are usually frozen samosas anyhow. We also had bhaigan bhartha and kofta curry (known at authentic Indian places as malai kofta), both of which were a major disappointment. I have had malai kofta at many different Indian restaurants and this was the least flavorful I have ever experienced. The bhaigan bhartha, on the other hand, was charred so much that the smoke level nearly exceeded every Scotch in existence. We requested that both be made spicy and neither were. I will certainly never be going back. I highly recommend Taj Mahal on McKnight and Taste of India near the Children’s Hospital if you want actually good Indian food.

Relatively certain that the base of the chicken tikka masala is canned tomato soup. The pre-​packaged or frozen Indian food at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s is better.

I came here with some friends after seeing an exhibit at CMOA. I recommended this restaurant because of its close proximity and also to try something new. I forewarned them that based on the Unilocal reviews that it was A-​ok but not stellar. So I didn’t have high expectations.
I ended up really liking my meal. I ordered the Bhindi masala and asked for not too spicy which they designated as being medium spicy. I went with it and there was definitely a kick to my dish. The texture was more on the dry side (not a lot of sauce). The mixture of okra, onions, tomatoes, coriander and other spices was delicious and fresh. It was reasonably priced at $ 12.50 and it came with basmati rice and a small side salad. Other reviewers complained about the price, but for dinner and its ample portion, I thought it was a great deal.
In terms of ambiance, it’s more of a modern/​casual take on traditional Indian cuisine. Silverware are already placed on tables in caddies and water did come in large plastic cups. Service was attentive but we were one of two parties in the restaurant.
I will certainly try Yuva again.

Raw and uncook samosa. Cholle was good and if we ask them very spicy then it is possible

Lunch is pretty good, but dinner is a bit pricey. Food has improved since it opened, as has service. I get the lunch option, which comes with rice and a salad (still not sure why they serve this…).
People in my group in the past have been unhappy with the authenticity of some of the dishes, but now it seems they warn people in advance if the dish is being prepared in a surprising way. I’ve had their chicken vindaloo, chicken tikka masala, and their paneer makhani, and each were good.

The Pizza Hut of Indian Food: Décor is nice but then water arrives in plastic Pepsi cups. Silverware and napkins self serve on cheap wooden tables. I ordered chicken saag which had disgusting huge chunks of cardamom. Lentils were ordered low spice and came as a ⁶⁄₁₀. I had an immediate MSG reaction to the food: hot and red. Despite not eating any naan, I woke up very puffy next morning. I had a Groupon that Never Expires (says so right on the voucher) that they REFUSED to honor. Will not go back, especially with many other amazing Indian restaurants within walking distance or a short drive away.

Portions were small for the price, and food was bland. Server was a little shady with how he asked us what kind of bread we wanted with our entrée, implying it came with the meal. However, when asked to clarify, the bread costs additional. There are better Indian places, avoid this one.

Excellent lunch plate. We got the plates that included the Vindaloo and Butter Chicken respectively. Tons of flavor, generous portion, fast service and friendly staff. It’s not a 5 star restaurant, but for lunch or take out, I’ll definitely be back.
The food didn’t feel too fattening and wasn’t greasy. They used higher end ingredients versus the cheaper gamey meats sometimes used in Indian food.

Went there again after a long time after hearing that their lunch menu has become really impressive and I was quite pleased ! I had the maseladar lunch which consisted of butter chicken, butter nan, salad and basmati rice. The butter chicken was creamy, well made and delicious. It was quite a hearty meal. Will be back for lunch again some day.

I went to Yuva India for lunch and had a great experience. The interior is bright and warm looking and nicer than a typical Oakland restaurant. The staff was attentive and the service was quick. I ordered the saag paneer lunch: side salad, naan, rice and entrée all for $ 10, which I thought was a good value. While I do like other Indian restaurants in the area, I thought the flavor at Yuva was superior. You can actually taste the spices, the food wasn’t swimming in oil and the naan had a crisp bottom (sometimes at other places you end up with a greasy, bland entrée and soggy bread).

I should probably do this as two different reviews, but oh well, they get one.
I’ve come here for lunch many times with friends. They have some of the best tadka daal and I LOVE it (don’t tell my mother in law). It’s not a typical Indian lunch as they serve it with a fresh salad as well and in cute little bowls on your plate. It’s good though perhaps a bit overpriced.
However, I work for a non-​profit and when trying to use my purchasing card for a business meal they refused to refund the tax charged (we are tax exempt). This to me seems like bad business practices and hence why I will not give them 4 stars, only 3.

I am a semi-​regular visitor. In other reviews, I have noticed lots of complaints regarding customer service, but in my opinion there isn’t a significant difference between the service in this place and elsewhere. Courteous and quick enough for me.
The food is good if you order it spicy. Their Baingan Bhartha especially is quite delicious. The other items on the menu are also in general tasty and well-​prepared (though I wouldn’t recommend the Dal Tadka, it isn’t what you are used to if you are Indian.)
Overall I’m giving this place 4 stars out of 5 because of two reasons:
1) They serve rice with every dish and do not allow for substitutions. To be fair, this appears to be the general practice in all Indian restaurants in Pittsburgh that I’ve been to; this is remarkably pointless and inauthentic. It makes absolutely no sense to serve rice with a majority of the dishes on the menu, especially the dry dishes. This is the biggest reason I do not go there more frequently, and I almost gave a 3 star rating because of this. If you work at Yuva India and you are reading this, I sincerely suggest that you allow your customers to replace the rice with some basic butter naan. If that is too expensive for you, at least include an option to upgrade the rice to naan for a small price.
2) In my opinion the price is a little too high. The food here is quite good, but there are other Indian places that serve equally good food at a lower price. (Nearby Tamarind comes to mind).

Below average food, terrible customer service. Lady at the counter is rude for no reason, we saw here fighting with two customers during the time we where there.
Also they dont like to take Unilocal voucher, and made it seem like they did us a favor by accepting the voucher!!!
Never going back again.

Very bad experience. Fails completely in regards to food as well as service. This was perhaps the worst service experience I have ever had. The owner was too rude and unprofessional. She needs to get management and hospitality courses and then run a restaurant. Terrible value for money and too small portion sizes.
It all started with warm beer. When asked the server told that their cooler was not working. If this was the case then they should have told that the same before. Then we ordered the appetizer «Delhi ki papri chaat» which according to the menu should have papri, potatoes, chickpeas and chutneys. But we were served with just papri and chutney (no potatoes, no chickpeas, plain papri and chutney). On asking the server told that he will call the owner to talk to. The owner never showed up until we were done eating the main course. On asking the server again to call the owner to talk to but she didn’t even have the courtesy to show up. On our getting upset on receiving the check, the server was able to call the owner lady who instead of accepting the mistake or apologizing and replacing the dish, kept saying that they alter the menu for their american customers and were too busy to change the menu. On top of that, to my surprise, she blamed is for calling her thrice to enquire about the appetizer we were served as she was too busy that evening and kept on giving lame excuses. We ended up getting no replacement for the appetizer and ruining our dinner!!!
Would never even think of going there and would not recommend ever.

The food is good but the flavors are a bit too «americanized» for me. Everything I’ve had here tasted under-​spiced and the chicken has been tough. The mango lassi is good, but that’s pretty hard to mess up… The prices are kind of steep considering the amount of food you get, too.
The restaurant décor is cute and clean but it feels very open and empty during off-​hours since the dining area is just a single open room. They close between lunch and dinner so plan accordingly.
If you’re craving indian food I suggest skipping this place and going up the street to Tamarind instead.

So, I came back here and went with the suggestion that the waiter gave me last time, which was to just order the goat curry from the dinner menu even though it was lunch time. I did just that, and asked for it to be medium spicy.
Needless to say, it was one of the best goat curries I’ve enjoyed around the city. I think this will be my new go to dish at Indian places, as I used to be a strictly Chicken Tikka Masala sort of girl.
I tried a samosa as well on my second time around, and although they were clearly handmade and the flavors were great, I thought charging $ 2 for a samosa that small was ridiculous (especially when you get can one at least twice the size across the street for a dollar). On a brighter note, the mint chutney that accompanied it was delightful and I used it as a nice balance to the heat of the curry.
The staff was pleasant and helpful, as usual. The décor of the joint still is really beautiful, bright, and clean. I accidentally went a little close to their closing for lunch and did feel a little rushed, but that’s a silly mistake on my part. This place is good if you know the right things to get!

Yuva is a good place for quick a lunch if you’re in North Oakland and craving some solid Indian food. Their lunch menu includes a salad, some naan, and some rice, along with whichever entrée you choose (they have a few combinations).
Nice people, nice business, a-​ok. Their chicken tikka masala definitely satisfies a craving that the other Indian joints in Oakland don’t quite reach.

Yuva is a cute place located at a convenient location, but it fails when directly compared to other Indian restaurants in the area. The service was horrible with a waitress who barely understood English. The dinner portions were supposed to be family style, but they barely gave us enough food for just one person. For the amount of food, I thought Yuva was a tad expensive.
Their tandoori chicken was too dry and bland. The dish literally tasted like plain grilled chicken without much seasoning (I do NOT recommend). The chicken tikka masala was fairly decent with a nice and creamy sauce, but there was pretty much only sauce… where’s the chicken? I did enjoy the aloo gobi dish (cauliflower and potatoes), although it was a bit too spicy for my taste buds.

Overall, the food at Yuva was decent, but not superb. I don’t think the service, food quality and quantity were enough for the price that they charge.